Black History Month in the College of Arts: Advocating, Celebrating, and Encouraging

The College of Arts at the University of Guelph looks forward to engaging in events and activities to honour and observe Black History Month and this year's theme, "Resist. Reclaim. Restore!" This theme, selected by the Black History Month Planning Committee (see full list of committee members below), honours the resilience and strength of the Black community.

"Resist" calls us to acknowledge the ongoing struggle against injustice and the defiance of generations of Black Africans. "Reclaim" urges us to celebrate and recover Black cultural identities and achievements often overlooked or suppressed. "Restore" focuses on healing, rebuilding, and empowering communities for a future of justice and equity. Through Black History Month events and beyond, we hope to inspire one another to take part in the ongoing journey to resist, reclaim, and restore. 

Learn from the Experiences of Black Africans Represented in Renaissance Art   

On Wednesday, February 5 from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., Dr. Sandra Parmegiani, associate professor, European Studies and Italian, and associate director, School of Languages and Literatures, College of Arts, and Dr. Dorothy Odartey-Wellington, professor, School of Languages and Literatures, College of Arts will be hosting a screening of the documentary, We Were Here: The Untold History of Black Africans in Renaissance Europe, in Room 113 of the MacKinnon Building.

The film, directed by Fred Kudjo Kuwornu, delves into the lives, roles, and representation of Black Africans in Renaissance Europe, as seen in iconic art, and their impact on European cultural history. A Q&A with Kuwornu will follow the screening. Kuwornu is described on his website as an artist, filmmaker, and scholar with Italian, Ghanaian, and U.S. citizenship. 

This event is open to U of G faculty, U of G staff, U of G undergraduate students, U of G graduate students and the public. Registration is not required. 

Explore the Legacy of Black Educators in the Guelph Region

On February 5, U of G faculty, U of G staff, U of G undergraduate students and U of G graduate students are invited to attend the launch of the “Putting Name to Face: Celebrating Black Teaching Excellence in Guelph/Wellington/Waterloo” Exhibit, to be followed by a screening of What We Deserve - Restorative Justice and Reparation, a documentary by filmmaker Shelley Jarrett.

The exhibit highlights the impactful stories of Black educators in the Guelph, Wellington, and Waterloo regions and the historical contributions of the Black community to teaching excellence in Guelph, Wellington, and Waterloo and to fostering equity and inclusion in education. The documentary examines the systemic challenges faced by Black teachers and the resilience that drives their transformative work in shaping educational spaces. 

The event will take place from noon to 2 p.m. in the McLaughlin Library, Room 246B. 

This collaborative initiative is hosted by the Office of Teaching and Learning in collaboration with their partners, the Department of History and Interdisciplinary Studies, College of Arts, the McLaughlin Library, the Guelph Public Library, The Art Gallery of Guelph and the Museum of Waterloo. 

The exhibit will travel to the Guelph Public Library, Downtown Main Branch, during the week of February 10 - 14, 2025 and to the Westminster Branch during the week of February 17 - 24, 2025. What We Deserve will also be screened at the downtown Guelph Public Library on February 11 at 7 p.m.

Black History Month Planning Committee Members

• Amelia Kezaabu, Alicia Yon, Shelleanne Hardial (Cultural Diversity)  
• Caleb Harwood and Kimia Mehrafshan (Sexual and Gender Diversity)  
• Harerta Tesfaslassie (The African Students Association)  
• Roshaun Marchall and Celina Griffiths (Carribean Cultural Club)  
• Pravieena Gnanakumar (Athletics)  
• Neeli Grewal (Student Wellness)  
• Opeyemi Oloyede (Guelph Black Students Association)  
• Abigail (Abii) Barrett (College of Social and Applied Human Sciences)  
• Drew Blackmore (Black and Racialized Residence Network)  
• Akierah Binns (Graduate Student Association)  
• Angeli Mehrotra, Khadijah Peters, Amoy Marshall Green (Experiential Learning Hub)  
• Naomi Amayaevbo (Central Student Association, The African Student Association)  
• Omorowa Eguakun (OPIRG Guelph) 

View the full list of programming that campus partners and members of the U of G community are offering and taking part in in honour of Black History Month.